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digest 2006-04-07 #001.txt
litsci-l-digest Friday, April 7 2006 Volume 01 : Number
157
In this issue:
SUB 06Inviting and Dismissing A Post-biological Evolution
[SUB 06] The "Emerson Museum" and the Darwin Exhibit: Observation,
Classification, and Display in the Early Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson
and Charles Darwin
SUB 06 REVISED Panel Presentation 'Evolving Pedagogies of
Humanities in Medical Education'
The Reproduction of Gaia
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 21:56:35 EDT
From: Stmart96@aol.com
Subject: SUB 06Inviting and Dismissing A Post-biological Evolution
Paper Proposal
=20
=20
=20
Inviting and Dismissing A Post-biological Evolution in the Discourses
of=20
Biomedia and New Media =20
Patricia Ticineto Clough =20
The Graduate Center CUNY =20
_pclough@gc.cuny.edu_ (mailto:pclough@gc.cuny.edu) =20
Taking up recent critical discourses on biomedia and new media (e.g. in
the=
=20
works of Eugene Thacker, Mark Hansen,Brian Massumi, Alexander Galloway
and=
=20
Wendy Hui Kyong Chun among others ), I examine the way these discourses
are=
=20
drawn to a post-biological evolutionary threshold. which is
approached=20
nevertheless with a strong ambivalence. I explore this ambivalence by
focu=
sing on=20
the way these discourses treat both the autopoietic body-as-organism
and =20
digitization in terms of the philosophical conceptualization of the
virtual=
. I=20
argue that it is in crossing an empirical treatment of digital
technology a=
nd =20
the human body with the philosophical conceptualization of the virtual
that=
=20
the postbiological threshold reached at the informationalization of
life =20
generally and the human body particularly is invited in these
discourses, e=
ven=20
while being dismissed. . Yet, it is at this threshold that capital
is=20
accumulating in the domain of life itself while deploying a racism
(somethi=
ng like=20
Michel Foucault=E2=80=99s notion of state racism in Society Must be
Defende=
d) that=20
allows some life capacities to be valued against other life capacities,
all=
ows the=20
risk to life of some populations against others to be calculated as a
matte=
r=20
of biopolitical control. I argue that informationalization of life
itself=20
and the body as organism are central to present day capital
accumulation a=
nd=20
a deployment of racism and represents an investment in a
post-biological=20
evolution. Yet, in their ambivalence to a post-biological threshold,
I wa=
nt to=20
argue, the discourses of biomedia and new media are restricted in
fully =20
being able to critically engage the present day political economy of
life a=
nd=20
death. =20
Key words: biomedia and new media, post biological evolution capital
=20
accumulation, state racism =20
---------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 14:10:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: lauren klein
Subject: [SUB 06] The "Emerson Museum" and the Darwin Exhibit:
Observation, Classification, and Display in the Early Works of Ralph
Waldo Emerson and Charles Darwin
PAPER: The "Emerson Museum" and the Darwin Exhibit: Observation,
Classification, and Display in the Early Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson
and
Charles Darwin
KEYWORDS: Emerson, Darwin, museums, travel writing, journals, evolution.
ABSTRACT:
In 1833, while Charles Darwin was on board the HMS Beagle, Ralph Waldo
Emerson was also overseas. On July 13th of that year, Darwin, in
Montevideo, prepared crates of specimens to be sent back aboard a mail
ship, where, he hoped, they would reside in the "largest & most central
collection" of England. Simultaneously, Emerson, in Paris, paid his
seminal visit to the natural history museum at the Jardin des Plantes.
On
that day, both men were engaged in processing specimens-- Darwin in his
makeshift laboratory, and Emerson in his mind.
While Emerson and Darwin reach different conclusions, they rely on
similar
methods. Both employ the techniques of observation and classification as
their primary means of analysis, and in recording their results, they
follow similar paths-- private thought to printed notebook, printed
notebook to published page. Drawing upon their journals and published
works, and upon current museum theory, this paper will explore the
similarities between Emerson and Darwin in terms of their reliance on
the
museum model of display, and their embrace of the ability of language to
transport and to transcend.
Lauren Klein
Department of English
CUNY Graduate Center
New York, NY
lklein@gc.cuny.edu
- -
+-+-+-+-+-+
Please see the following URL for the LITSCI-L archive, Web resource
links and unsubscribing info:
http://www.law.duke.edu/sls
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 13:53:52 -0400
From: "Robert Bonk"
Subject: SUB 06 REVISED Panel Presentation 'Evolving Pedagogies of
Humanities in Medical Education'
This panel presentation is a REVISED version of the previous one =
submitted under the same name. Thank you.
SLSA 2006 Panel Presentation:
Evolving Pedagogies of Humanities in Medical Education
=20
Medical education can take many forms across the =
undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate stages. Within this =
hierarchy, traditional medical pedagogy has focused on the sciences and
=
their application; this focus, in fact, potentially increases in our =
modern technological age. The humanities, however, offer our =
institutions another avenue for inculcating in medical students =
(regardless of their educational stage) an appreciation for their =
patients and the human condition overall. This panel presents three =
approaches for adding that depth to medical education through the =
humanities.
=20
Key Words: Medical Education-Medical Humanities-Medical =
Literature-Narrative-Theater
=20
Panel Chair:
Robert J. Bonk, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Professional Writing
Widener University
One University Place
Chester, PA 19013-5792 USA
610-499-4265
rjbonk@mail.widener.edu
* * * * *
=20
Humanities in Medicine or Medical Humanities?
The Evolution of Medical Humanities Programs
=20
The purpose of this paper is to explore the underlying =
curricular paradigms driving the collaboration between the humanities =
and medicine. The essay will explore the philosophical evolution behind
=
the inclusion of the humanities in the medical school curriculum, =
starting with the perception by medical school educators in the middle =
of the twentieth century that medicine was undergoing a technical shift
=
away from its humanistic basis. The paper will examine some of the =
curricular models currently used in medical humanities programs. =
Finally, the essay will examine possible avenues for the implementation
=
and interaction of the humanities and medicine.=20
=20
Keywords: Medical Education-Medical Humanities-Medical School =
Curriculum-Philosophy of Medicine
=20
Ruben J. Nazario, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Section of Inpatient Pediatrics
Kentucky Children's Hospital
Lexington, KY 40536 USA
859-257-9000
rjnaza2@uky.edu
=20
* * * * *
=20
From Page to Stage:
Exploring Medicine through the Humanities
=20
Both a science and an art, medicine reflects more about a =
society than simply our technological paradigms. By exploring medicine
=
through the humanities, students can discover mirrors within societies =
that reflect the many facets of medicine-especially the dichotomies of =
life-death, health-illness, and provider-patient. To provide this =
viewpoint, I developed an undergraduate course at Widener University =
that targets Honors students with an interest in medicine and related =
healthcare fields. A key element of the original course focused on a =
public session of staged readings directed by a local theater expert =
(funding provided through an internal grant). In this first offering, =
students' evaluations documented the value they perceived from exploring
=
and appreciating medicine through literature. A key aspect was the =
session of staged readings: anecdotally, many students commented on how
=
assuming the roles of patients, providers, and caregivers brought the =
literature to life. Given this success, I expanded the original course
=
to encompass more multifaceted genres-history, philosophy, film, and the
=
fine arts now complement the original poetry, prose, and drama. But the
=
heart of this course remains a public forum that will continue to =
elevate 'from page to stage' the humanistic aspects of medicine.
=20
Keywords: Drama-Medical Education-Medical Humanities-Medical =
Literature-Staged Readings
=20
Robert J. Bonk, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Professional Writing
Widener University
One University Place
Chester, PA 19013-5792 USA
610-499-4265
rjbonk@mail.widener.edu
* * * * *
=20
End-of-Life: Postmodern Revisions
=20
Before the phrase "end-of-life issues" became an important =
part of contemporary thinking in a world transformed by technology, =
death was considered a natural event in life's journey. Often, it =
occurred at home within a family context. At an appropriate time, =
physicians, who were generally unable to provide life-extending care, =
stood aside as a religious figure stepped in to assume authority. As to
=
the physician's feelings and frustrations, these were unexpressed. This
=
discussion focuses on examples from the humanities, specifically art and
=
poetry, to illustrate changes that have occurred in setting and =
circumstances and how, in recent years, we have begun to hear subjective
=
responses from physicians and patients. In the context of medicine, =
science, and ethics, the paper is intended to provide a complementary =
but different slant to end-of-life information presented in the medical
=
text. =20
=20
Keywords: Death-End-of-Life Issues-Medical Humanities-Medical =
Literature
=20
Lois LaCivita Nixon, Ph.D., M.Litt., M.P.H.
Professor, Division of Medical Ethics and Medical Humanities
Department of Internal Medicine
College of Medicine
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL 33620 USA
813-974-2011
lnixon@health.usf.edu
* * * * *
=20
Medical educators recognize the need to teach empathy, communication, =
and capacity for developing satisfying and therapeutic physician-patient
=
relationships. The humanities are recognized as disciplines that may =
provide a pathway to achieving this goal. The presenter will share her
=
experiences teaching a course using narrative with third- and =
fourth-year medical students, a seminar using literature with family =
medicine residents, and a course using medical readers' theatre with =
second-year medical students. The objectives were to teach =
physician-learners to engage in close reading of text to promote =
critical and cultural analysis and self-reflection about the patient =
encounter.
=20
Keywords: Empathy-Narrative-Physician-Patient =
Relationship-Self-Reflection-Readers' Theatre
=20
Susan Arjmand, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Rush Medical College
DivaDocSA@aol.com
=20
=20
>>> "Doctress Neutopia" 4/7/2006 5:55:50 PM >>>
The Reproduction of Gaia
My reply:
Yes, this would be an interesting conversation. Shapley's
"stellar theology" was a perspective on the cosmos based in
science and rationality, but it was one from which he derived
some interesting lessons concerning humanity and moral/spiritual
values. Shapley's emotive reaction to, and aesthetic appreciation
of nature are indicative of the scientist's enchantment with the
universe, something that perhaps exists beyond rationality.
Neutopia:
James Lovelock as well as science writer Dorion Sagan wrote that
the Earth is on the verge of reproduction. They stated that
reproduction is occurring through a ?¨technological virgin birth?Æ
which would allow us to create ?¨biospheres?Æ or ?¨arcologies?Æ in
Outer Space. Thinking about their statement, I realized that if
we are the planet, then the planet reproduces itself through
human sexuality. This idea inspired the Gaia Religion. I was then
lead to see the need for a new relationship between the sexes,
one in which women are equal to men but different from them in
that they give birth, not only to babies, but to new
civilizations.
I realized that Gaia, the name for the Greek Goddess of the
Earth, is not only a scientific hypothesis of a planetary-level
phenomenon of atmospheric and temperature regulation, but it has
a poetic or spiritual dimension. I disagreed with Gaian
scientists who deny this dimension, and I began to see the danger
of visualizing the reproduction as a technological virgin birth
since it denies the role sexual reproduction plays in forming new
civilizations.
To read more about this, please see my essay: Gaia: The World
Soul of Science and Religion
http://www.lovolution.net/MainPages/gaia/gaia.htm
